The forgotten story of Princess Catherine Hilda Duleep Singh – women’s rights campaigner and ‘Indian Schindler’
metro.co.ukBritain is widely believed to be puritanical when it came to matters of the heart – affection between couples were kept behind closed doors, casual sex was considered taboo and marriage was practically essential for women to have any kind of life.But that didn’t stop a close associate of Queen Victoria’s from choosing to spend her life with another woman and become a prominent Suffragist, dedicating her life to campaigning for a better, fairer and more equal world.Princess Catherine Hilda Duleep Singh’s story has been unjustly overlooked, relegated to the annals of history as other prominent figures have dominated discussion around the era.In fact, her philanthropy has only really been uncovered in the last 30 years by Peter Bance, historian and Duleep Singh family biographer.
He stumbled upon the Princess’ fascinating life when researching her father, Sir Duleep Singh – a Maharaja of the Punjab who was removed from power by the East India Company and effectively exiled to England in the mid 1800s.Although she never actually visited India herself, Queen Victoria was fascinated with the subcontinent, and so took a huge interest in Duleep – and his family, when he went on to have children. ‘As a native Indian prince, Duleep had a flamboyant look about him,’ Bance tells Metro.co.uk.
He was always dressed in silks, and had lots of jewellery. Queen Victoria almost saw him as a party piece. She looked upon him as a bit of a favourite.
He was pride of place in lots of official functions.’Duleep’s proximity to the Queen meant he and his family were quickly absorbed into high society.
